Game On
by TracyT
Summary: Castle won't give Kate up without a fight.  One-shot.


Title: Game On

Author: TracyT

Rating: K+

Category: Romance, Humor

Summary: Castle won't let Kate go without a fight

Spoilers: Spoilers for season 3

Archive: Yes, please

Feedback to:

Disclaimer: Not mine, but I wish they were, No profit will be made on this. It was a labor of love.

Author's note: Possibly a little OOC, maybe not. I started this by looking at how Castle often does NOT back down, even when Kate breathes a little fire on him, and I love that about him! However, this morphed into something a bit different. Hope you all like it. Let me know, okay?

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Kate was in the break room getting a cup of coffee when Lanie came hurrying in, clearly excited.

"Girl, I just got your text. Are you serious? That is fantastic news. Do you have a ring yet?"

"Lanie," Kate smiled and shook her head at her friend's enthusiasm. "No, not yet, we…" She looked up and over her shoulder she could see Castle standing stock still on the other side of the doorway. Crap.

Lanie turned her head to see what Kate was looking at and said softly, "Uh oh." She turned back to Kate, her face serious now. "Kate, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to…"

Castle had walked away and Kate could no longer see him, but he hadn't looked happy.

"It's fine. It was bound to come out sooner or later." She gave Lanie a rueful smile.

Lanie gave her a probing look. "You gonna be okay?"

"Yeah," Kate huffed out a laugh. "Just another day at the 12th, you know." When Lanie didn't return her smile, Kate added. "I'll take care of it. Don't worry."

Lanie reached out and sqeezed her hand. "If you need to talk, call me, okay?"

Kate nodded. "Okay."

Lanie gave her one last probing look and left. Kate turned back to her coffee, when she heard the door to the break room close—and she just _knew_ who had closed it. She closed her eyes, steeled herself and started to turn toward him when she found herself crowded up against the counter from behind, his hands holding the edge of the counter on either side of her. She could feel his breath on her neck, his body heat enveloping her and she tried unsuccessfully to stop the shiver that tremored through her. She should shove him back, get him out of her personal space, but she just stood quietly.

"You're marrying him?" His voice was low and she could feel its vibration he was so close.

"Josh has asked me to marry him, yes." She kept her eyes on her coffee cup.

"And you said yes?"

Kate was quiet for a few seconds, debating whether to tell him the truth or not. Finally she admitted, "No, Not yet. I told him I had to think about it."

"Don't marry him, marry me."

Shock made Kate shove him back and turn around.

"Are you insane?" She gawked at him.

He shrugged, one corner of his mouth turning up. "Depends on who you ask."

"Castle, I can't marry you."

"Why not?"

"Well, for one thing, has it escaped your notice that _you_ are involved with your ex-wife and _I'm_ involved with Josh?"

He waved a hand. "Minor detail," he scoffed.

Ignoring him she added, "not to mention that you and I have never, ever even been on a date?"

He smiled. "That's where you're wrong. We've been on _lots_ of dates."

She put her hands on her hips. "How do you figure that?"

"If you define a date as two people getting together in order to get to know each other better, then every time we go to a crime scene, every time we work a case together, we've been on a date." He crossed his arms in front of himself and leaned against the counter.

Kate shook her head. "I don't believe you. Are you even being serious?"

"Deadly serious." And he was. Kate could see it in his eyes.

Why would you want to marry me, anyway?"

He looked into her eyes intently."You know how I feel about you, Kate."

That rattled her a bit. He stepped forward and took her hands in his. "I'll fight for you, Kate. Just give me some time. It doesn't matter if you put Josh off or tell him yes. The time you spend engaged gives me time to fight for you." He released her hands and headed toward the door. He opened it and started to step through, when he looked back.

With a twinkle in his eye and a grin on his face he said, "Tell Josh I said, 'Game on.' He left, closing the door behind him.

Kate covered her mouth with one hand, eyes wide. Ohhh, She was in sooo much trouble.

Fin


End file.
